SANTANDER PORTUGAL: “NOSSA CONTA”
Capturing young consumers at a pivotal life milestone
Our Sectors
Financial Services
Client
Santander Portugal
Solutions
Acquisition Programs, Engagement Programs
Location
Portugal
Overview
Every September, as college freshmen begin their academic year, a window of opportunity opens for banks. Thousands of young adults are making their first major financial decisions – choosing where to open their college bank account, who to trust with their savings, and which brand will accompany them through their next series of life milestones.
For Santander, this moment was too important to lose. So, to compete in a crowded market of student offers, the bank needed a proposition that genuinely mattered to Gen Z: relevant rewards, credible value, and a brand experience that felt tailored to them.
The Challenge
Santander needed to spark immediate action from students at the point of enrollment: open a new account or switch to the college segment with a minimum €55 deposit.
The start of the academic year is one of the noisiest periods in the student calendar. Campuses are flooded with competing campaigns, most of which offer discounts, small cash perks, or sign-up incentives. Cutting through that saturation demanded a powerful hook.
Gen Z is also a highly selective audience, gravitating toward brands that show an understanding of their lifestyles and values. Traditional financial bonuses don’t resonate in the same way, and Santander needed something that aligned with how students actually live, explore, and reward themselves.
Why TLC
Santander chose TLC for our strong track record in designing results-oriented reward campaigns with high perceived value, particularly for Gen Z audiences. With deep insight into lifestyle drivers and access to top-tier brand partners, TLC offered a creative solution that engaged students effectively without exceeding budget constraints.
Collaborating with us also made campaign curation frictionless. TLC’s expertise in blending data-led insights with strategic creativity allowed our client to deliver a unique, seamless experience for every student.
The TLC Approach
Together, we developed a highly personalized, experience-led acquisition campaign designed specifically around Gen Z interests. Instead of offering cash or generic discounts, students were rewarded with access to a curated selection of high-value lifestyle experiences.
Rewards included gift cards for Fnac, Adidas, Xbox, and EA Sports, plus flexible credit that students could use across categories like transport, food, or dining. This breadth ensured that thousands of students could access something personally meaningful and relevant.
The campaign was easy to access and supported by a dynamic reward catalog that evolved over time. High-impact brand names including Apple and Sephora were added mid-campaign, boosting desirability and sustaining momentum at a critical time. By continuously refreshing the reward landscape, TLC kept the offer exciting and competitive across the full enrollment period.
The Results
This high-value, relevant offer captured attention immediately, drove engagement, and motivated account openings within a very short timeframe.
40%
Of the semester
acquisition target achieved in just 2 weeks
2x
Reward
value per customer compared to bank investment
Named
Santander’s
Top acquisition campaign of 2023
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